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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27976470">Twenty</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/sciencebluefeelings/pseuds/sciencebluefeelings'>sciencebluefeelings</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>with you [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>M/M, Minor Character Death, Mpreg, Parenthood</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 16:22:15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,280</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27976470</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/sciencebluefeelings/pseuds/sciencebluefeelings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Jim and Spock’s eldest son gives them a call.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>James T. Kirk &amp; Original Character(s), James T. Kirk/Spock Prime, Spock Prime &amp; Original Character(s)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>with you [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2046593</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>38</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Twenty</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Spock,” Jim calls upstairs.</p><p>“Yes, dear,” is the response.</p><p>Jim holds up his ringing comm. “Halu’s calling us, Spock, hurry up and get over here.”</p><p>There’s a shuffling noise before Spock appears at the top of the stairs, his eyes shining behind his reading glasses. “Halu?”</p><p>Jim grins as Spock hurries down to sit next to him. It’s been years since their eldest child graduated from the Academy and began serving on another Starfleet starship. Contact has grown infrequent due to his distance from New Vulcan where Jim and Spock are living, but they are trying their best to stay connected.</p><p>When Spock is pressed to his side, Jim accepts the call and beams at the screen. “Halu,” Spock says with delight.</p><p>It’s been around a month since they last spoke, and Halu looks the same as he did then - Starfleet standard casuals, same haircut. But there’s a distraught look in his eyes. </p><p>Spock falters. “Halu?”</p><p>At the sound of Spock’s voice, Halu bursts into tears, not even bothering to cover his face with his hands. “Halu,” Jim says, bewildered because he’s pretty sure the last time he saw their kid cry like this was when he was six years old. “Are you okay?”</p><p>“Yes,” Halu sniffles between the sobs wracking his entire body. “There is no immediate danger. I am unhurt.” </p><p>Jim and Spock glance at each other. Now that their initial alarm has abated, Jim can tell they're thinking the same thing. Halu is fully grown and seeing him in pain is heartbreaking, but he looks as adorable as he did when he was a baby.</p><p>“Take your time, Halu,” Spock says gently. “Deep breaths from your stomach.”</p><p>Halu shudders and nods but the tears don’t stop falling. Jim years to reach out through the screen and wrap his son in the tightest hug. It seems like every time he tries to speak, the tears are refreshed anew, and his shoulders won’t stop shaking.</p><p>As the tears begin to run dry and his energy is expended, Halu slowly calms down. The occasional sob still escapes his throat, but he is able to control his breathing. Halu’s watery eyes find the screen. “I love you, <em>Sa'mekh</em>.”</p><p>Jim's amusement vanishes.</p><p>Halu’s face disappears as he buries it in the crook of his elbow. “I love you too, Jih'mekh. I love you both so much.”</p><p>“Oh, Halu. We love you too.” Spock’s voice is still soothing and calm. “What happened?”</p><p>With Halu averting his gaze, his voice is a touch steadier. “There was a transporter malfunction and I got trapped in an alternate reality.” Halu takes in a shaky breath. “I met your counterparts.”</p><p>“Oh,” is all Jim can think to say.</p><p>Halu’s voice drops to a whisper. “They looked at me as if I were a ghost. And - and then I learned my counterpart died three years ago when he was nineteen. The age that I am now.”</p><p>Spock’s body is frozen at Jim’s side.</p><p>“He was in a shuttle accident on Earth. He stopped breathing two days after the crash. The doctors believed the sustained damage had been too much trauma for his body to handle.” The tears fill Halu’s voice again. “<em>Sa'mekh</em> was right next to him when he died.”</p><p>Spock is clutching Jim’s arm, hard, way too hard and it hurts, but Jim can’t tell him. He can’t open his mouth, he can’t move at all.</p><p>Halu takes another shuddering breath. “He looked so hollow, <em>Sa'mekh</em>, he looked like a walking shell of who he should’ve been. But he felt exactly the same when he hugged me.” Halu goes silent for a moment.</p><p>Jim blindly reaches for Spock with his free hand, and his fingers entwine with Spock’s.</p><p>Halu speaks again. “I almost couldn't leave. But - Jih'mekh was there for <em>Sa’mekh</em>. And I had to come back to you.” Halu clears his throat. “It was an unpleasant experience, but I hope I provided your counterparts closure that they didn’t have before.”</p><p>Jim blinks at tears threatening to fall, but they don’t go away. “Thank you for coming back safely to us, Halu.”</p><p>Halu smiles faintly at Jim, and it’s fascinating every single time how much that tiny smile resembles Spock’s. “I apologize I could not provide a more uplifting update on my condition.”</p><p>Spock shakes his head. “We are honored with all you share with us, Halu, favorable or not.” He sounds so fragile, yet determined to stay strong for Halu’s sake.</p><p>Halu moves closer to the screen, wiping at his tears. The smile doesn’t leave his lips. “<em>Thank you, Sa’mekh.</em>”</p><p>“Of course, my child. How is Harak doing?”</p><p>Halu looks relieved by the change of topic. “I don't think she appreciates her older brother demanding to know her status every three hours, but I find it an adequate compromise.”</p><p>“I am still grateful you two are stationed on the same vessel,” Spock chuckles. “It gives me greater peace of mind knowing you can take care of each other.”</p><p>Halu nods. “Although I will admit, there appears to be a recurring pattern of Harak assisting in my rescue more often than the other way around.”</p><p>Jim snorts. “You were always better at getting into trouble.”</p><p>“No, I am merely the unluckier sibling.”</p><p>They continue to converse for another hour, talking some more about Harak and then about the half-Vulcan half-Orion first officer that had caught Halu’s attention. It’s too early to tell if it’s hero worship or something more, but Jim’s not gonna think about it too much. Yet.</p><p>Halu looks regretful to end the call. “I must rest for my next shift.” Now that he’s completely calmed down, he’s starting to look embarrassed for his earlier show of emotion.</p><p>“There is nothing to be ashamed of, Halu,” Jim says firmly.</p><p>Spock hums in agreement. “As I mentioned before, we are honored you share your thoughts with us. When will we see you and Harak again?”</p><p>There’s a pause as Halu checks his calendar. “We have shore leave in four months. Oh, it’ll be timed with my birthday this year. Harak and I will make sure to come back to New Vulcan.”</p><p>“That is wonderful news. We look forward to seeing you two back home.”</p><p>Halu beams. “I’m looking forward to it as well.”</p><p>“Call us again,” Jim says, waving at the screen.</p><p>“Of course, Jih’mekh. Bye.” The call disconnects, leaving an echoing silence.</p><p>Spock leans against Jim with a deep sigh. Jim closes his eyes and wraps his arms around his partner, his hand grazing over the clothed scar on Spock’s lower abdomen from his cesarean. After giving birth to Harak, he had been given the choice to erase the scar but Spock chose to keep it.</p><p>“They’re in such a dangerous line of work,” Spock whispers. “Yet his life was taken so early by an incident completely unrelated to Starfleet.”</p><p>Jim tries to imagine it, losing his son after only nineteen years of time spent together. The special dates and occasions that could no longer be shared. Watching Spock waste away before his very eyes, struggling to overcome yet another severe loss in his life. It’s enough to make him start tearing up again.</p><p>Spock’s hand is still tight in Jim’s. “It is easy to disregard the immense value of our existence, especially as a being with such resilience and long lifespan. It does no harm to have a reminder once in a while.”</p><p>“You’re right. Never take anything for granted, no matter how small it might seem.” Jim kisses Spock’s cheek. “Curry for dinner? What do you think?”</p><p>That soft smile touches Spock’s lips again. “That would be very nice. Thank you, my dear.”</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Originally the counterparts’ reality was going to be Jim and Spock’s reality but that’s a tad too much sad for what I can handle right now</p></blockquote></div></div>
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